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Site Selection for a commercial aquaculture facility (ponds)

Site Selection for a commercial aquaculture facility (ponds). The importance of a good site

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Site Selection for a commercial aquaculture facility (ponds)

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  1. Site Selection for a commercial aquaculture facility (ponds)

  2. The importance of a good site • The whole future success of your enterprise depends on the selection of a good site for your fish farm. The layout and the management of your farm will largely be influenced by the kind of site you select. The site therefore will strongly affect the cost of construction, the ease with which the ponds can be managed, the amount of fish produced and, in general, the PROFITABILITY of your enterprise.

  3. Proposed site

  4. HOW TO SELECT A SITE FOR COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE

  5. Major FACTORS TO CONSIDER • The major factors to be considered when selecting a site for the construction of a COMMERCIALfish farm are water supply, soil quality, local topography and social economic issues. • When you consider all the factors for selecting a site for a particular purpose, you may find that there are no suitable sites in your area. This can often happen; you then have to find out whether you can change your plans or ideas to meet the characteristics of the sites that are available. You may also be able to get assistance with this. • It is also important to remember that there is no point in carrying out a detailed survey or assessment of a site unless you are reasonably sure it meets the basic needs of the farming you plan to do.

  6. Water supply(availability and access) • It is essential that you have the required supply of good quality water at the time needed to operate your fish farm. Preferably, it should be available all year round. operate your fish with at least a good water flow rate farm (2 to 5 I/s/ha). • Give preference to a site where you will be able to obtain your water supply by gravity*. If you do have to pump, try to minimize the distance,

  7. Different water sources

  8. It is important that your water supply is of good quality. Try to get a supply which is reasonably clear of leaves, branches, plastic bags and other rubbish, as they can easily block your feeder canals or pond inlets. You should be particularly vigilant of the presence of chemical pollution. It may originate not only from certain industries but also from agricultural land where crops such as cotton, citrus and tomatoes are intensively produced. Pesticides can also be regularly applied to rice fields and to irrigation canals to control insects, snails and weeds

  9. Soil quality and site selection • avoid sites with rock outcrops, gravel beds, sandstone and limestone; • beware of sandy soils and termite mounds; • give preference to soils such as sandy clay, silty clay loam and clay loam. • Remember that even a small layer of a troublesome material such as gravel, sand or acidic clay can cause problems. If there are such layers, make sure that the earthworks on the site do not enter into them.

  10. Different soil types

  11. Local topography and site selection Look for sites: • where water drainage will be possible by gravity*; • where the earthwork will be minimum; • where it will be easy to balance the volume of earth to be excavated and that to be filled in. • You will find such sites on gently sloping ground, where the slope is 2to 6percent. Avoid slopes greater than 6 percent. If you have to use horizontal land, it will be more costly to build drainable ponds.

  12. A good slope and its implication on pond construction.

  13. Other important considerations of the site • There are other site characteristics which are also important to consider during selection. (a) Vegetation cover: if there are big trees or a dense population of smaller trees, clearing the land will be difficult and costly . Open woodland, grassland, old paddy fields or land covered with low shrubs permit easier and cheaper construction. (b) Accessibility: the use of artificial feeds on a commercial farm, pond management and marketing will require good access by road to the site. (c) Proximity to your home: it is always best to live close to your ponds. It will be easier to manage them and to protect them against poaching. For larger farms, a place must often be built for people who are looking after the ponds. (d) Multiple uses of the ponds: it is sometimes advantageous to be able to use your ponds for purposes other than fish farming such as livestock watering, gardening or domestic use. (e) Proximity and size of market: once harvested, your fish should preferably be sold fresh, as soon as possible and with the least costs. You should know in advance how many fish you will be able to sell in one day and plan your pond sizes and harvests accordingly. (f) Availability of inputs: if your fish farm requires regular inputs such as feed ingredients and juvenile fish, they should be available locally. You might also want to hire casual labour to help you from time to time. Spare parts and supplies might also be necessary. • Note: remember to ensure that there are no legal restrictions on the utilization of the site and the usage of water.

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